Humbly submitting to God in full surrender to His Lordship and His will
James 4:5-8 (NET)
6 But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.” 7 So submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double-minded.James 4:13-16 (NET)
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into this or that town and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” 14 You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? For you are a puff of smoke that appears for a short time and then vanishes. 15 You ought to say instead, “If the Lord is willing, then we will live and do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast about your arrogant plans. All such boasting is evil.
Surrendering to God to live according to His predetermined plan for our lives and giving up our personal plans (our pride in self-sufficiency - Phil 2:3, Jam 3:13–16). God created each of us with a unique and specific purpose (Psa 57:2, Psa 138:8, Prov 16:4, Jer 1:5, Jer 29:11, John 18:37, Acts 13:36, Rom 8:28).
Submitting to God the Father just as Jesus totally submitted to God the Father. Jesus says twelve times in the Gospel of John that he only did or said exactly as he was instructed or shown by His heavenly Father. Jesus is an example to us on how we can live submitted to God, resist the devil, and do both without sin.
This way of living in a mutual love relationship with God is how we actually enter His rest. Since God is love, it is His very nature to love those whom He has called to be His sons and daughters. On our part we show our love for God by obeying Him (1 John 5:2-3). We love and obey Him because of our deep heart felt gratitude for His drawing us to Him (John 6:44, 14:6) and for saving us from certain death and separation from God due to our many sins (Rom 5:8) and providing a way to be restored to fellowship with Him through the atoning sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ on the cross (1 John 2:2, 4:10). We love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).
How many Christians in the United States can actually say they live their lives totally submitted and surrendered to God? According to Barna Research, the Christian polling company, it is approximately 1 percent of all USA adults - about 3 million people.
What are the most important results of total surrender and submission to God? According to Barna they are a profound love of God and a profound love for people - our fruitfulness in Christ.
How do we obtain this level of selfless love? According to Barna’s research it starts with a holy discontent with our unfruitful Christian walk. This then opens us up for God’s work of bringing us to a state of brokenness and helplessness which brings us to our knees (even to a prostate position in the dust) to whole heartedly and completely surrender and submit to God in every aspect of our lives (Prov 3:5-6). To finally love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love others as ourselves (Luke 10:27).